“The Center of Winter: A Novel” by Marya Hornbacher follows a family in the devastating aftermath of suicide. It was first published in 2005 but the story takes place in the late sixties. In the bleak gray winter of northern Minnesota Arnold Schiller gives in to depression and alcoholism and takes his own life. His marriage was at the breaking point and now his widow Claire is filled with guilt. She’s left to care for six year old Kate and twelve year old Esau, who has been in and out of the state psychiatric hospital. Each in their own way feels responsible for Arnold’s death. Claire’s best friend, Donna, is also having problems. Her husband came back from Vietnam with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, he’s depressed and drinking. The two families support each other while they struggle to put their lives back together.
Marya Hornbacher is no stranger to personal torment. She is the acclaimed author of “Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia” and “Madness: A Bipolar Life.” This is her first fiction novel. Alternately narrated by Claire, Kate and Esau, Hornbacher speaks beautifully for each one, conveying their personalities and showing their emotions convincingly. Reading the story from different perspectives, especially the children’s, gives this novel a unique and profound depth. Themes of suicide, alcoholism, mental illness and the effects of war sound grim but despite its dark subject matter the story manages to be uplifting and at times even humorous. Hornbacher is a master storyteller, creating a riveting family saga and setting it against breathtaking scenery and descriptions of the seasons. She has written a beautiful and inspiring story!
Publisher: Harper Perennial (January 31, 2006)
ISBN: 978-0060929688
Pages: 352
Price: $14.99
The Center of Winter - A Novel by Marya Hornbacher
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